Sunday, 26 June 2011

I recently ran across a web site that prompted me to find out what our Jane Austen had to say on the subject of "defining a gentleman".Remembering that she used the word "gentlemanlike" quite a few times, I found this in Chapter 3 of Pride and Prejudice:

Mr. Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion. His brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman; but his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report, which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.

The name of the site I found is titled "The Art of Manliness" and it appears to be quite civil and covers a whole lot of information, more than I am able to absorb at the moment.You may read about the site here:The Art of Manliness.

What is so extra nice is that there is a Jane Austen group there also called:Jane Austen Forum where I found 2 friends from the Male Voices site that I keep on the web.

I invite you all to explore the site 'to see what you can see'.Have fun.

Sunday, 19 June 2011

Still related to Father's Day, although not in the best of light compared to Rachel's thoughtful Tom Lefroy quote last week, I took a quote from a not-so-successful father figure in the Austen universe. From the first paragraph of Pride & Prejudice Vol III Chapter 8 (Chapter 30):

Mr. Bennet had very often wished, before this period of his life, that, instead of spending his whole income, he had laid by an annual sum, for the better provision of his children, and of his wife, if she survived him. He now wished it more than ever. Had he done his duty in that respect, Lydia need not have been indebted to her uncle, for whatever of honour or credit could now be purchased for her. The satisfaction of prevailing on one of the most worthless young men in Great Britain to be her husband, might then have rested in its proper place.

The bolded sentences are the focus here, while the rest of the paragraph are putting them in context. The main issue is Mr. Bennet's unpreparedness for secured funds, and that is I think something I need to work on now. I mean, I'm going to be 40 in three years, and I think it's time for me to lay an annual sum of money for - at least - my retirement fund, in addition to resume saving for my dream house that I've done so far. I have no child (yet), so I think at least I have to cover myself pretty well in the future. Perhaps some people see it silly that I start to think of retirement fund when I'm not even 40 yet, but my economist partner disagree. Retirement fund (we call it 'super-annuation' here in Australia) is very important and one must start as early as possible.

I will get a new job this July after (hopefully) submitting my PhD. As I get my first salary, I hope that I'm wise enough to save the greater proportion of it, instead of spending it for 'pretty but definitely can wait' items like (cough) dresses and shoes...

What about you Ladies and Gents? Any tips for retirement fund savings?

Friday, 17 June 2011

I don't know about you but I love the Bridget Jones's Diary books (by Helen Fielding) and films. Laurie Viera Rigler (author of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict) has written a great short article for International Chick Lit Month about the parallels between Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary.

Sunday, 12 June 2011

Next sunday (19th June) in the UK it is Fathers Day so I thought I would chose a quote from a letter Tom wrote to his son taken from Tom Lefroy's memoir, page 33:

"I hope you are attentive to your business, and get your lessons, not merely so as to pass, but so as to understand them as perfectly as you can, and above all things, that you don’t loiter and waste time. When you play, - play, - but when you read, read and don’t play.God bless you, my darling boy.Your ever affectionate father,T.L"

I thought that this was a lovely quote to demonstrate Tom's true affection for his son, and indeed all his children. I love the line "when you play, - play, - but when you read, read and don’t play." It is simple and direct but said with the authority of a father.

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

For you fine ladies and gents who do not dabble in science fiction literature, this post may not be for you. But I'd like to put it here for it talks about our dearest James McAvoy who had excellently portrayed Tom Lefroy (albeit a different version of the real one) in Becoming Jane 2007.

James McAvoy recently played the lead actor of X-Men: First Class and I saw his performance last night. And I remembered once again why I fell in love with his Tom Lefroy. Suffice to say that JMA is really a smart actor, able of expressing various emotional ranges in immediate successions, and very charming as well. Needless to say that his Scottish-turned-British accent was very soothing for my ears.

I recommend X-Men: First Class for you who misses JMA and wants to see him in a big screen again. I avoided him in Wanted because it was too action-packed for me. But X-Men: First Class was different, for it explores a wide variety of human emotions, the notion of being different and how one finds one's place on Earth despite (or because of) his/her uniqueness.

For those who have seen X-Men trilogy and wonder how JMA portrayed the young telepathic professor, you can read this interview. His explanations remind me of the role

Sunday, 5 June 2011

I have most recently looked into 'other cultures/lands' than my native America, because I stumbled across the movies "A Town Like Alice" (which I saw), "The Flame Trees of Thika" (at my library) both of which so intrigued me that I remembered a book recommended by a friend "Reading Lolita in Tehran" and then stumbling again across a book "Last Journey: a Father and Son in Wartime" (Iraq). Then I realized how little I knew of other places in this big, wide world of ours.

All that made me wonder what Jane might have written about other lands. Then I remembered this book I had: "Jane Austen's Brother Abroad - The Grand Tour Journals of Edward Austen" edited by our own Jon Spence of "Becoming Jane" fame. (My copy is autographed by Mr. Spence - you may turn green with envy now!). Here follows an excerpt from the first chapter dated August 5th, 1786 [Neuchatel to Berne]:

QUOTE:

I walked out in the evening with my new English companions and amused myself in feeding with bread a couple of enormous bears which are kept in a ditch at the entrance of the town for no other reason than through custom and a bear being the arms of the canton. From thence we continued our walk about a mile out of town to be spectators at a ball consisting of the nobility and gentry of the place which was had in the open air under a silken canopy suspended to four pine trees. The fineness of the evening, the dress and the seeming gayety of the dancers, the trees crowded with lamps of different colors, a number of sky rockets which continued to enlighten the air above us, and in short the whole sight pleased me exceedingly and gave me a good opinion of the manners in which the Bernois amuse themselves.

.....

The dress of the women of the lower rank in the Canton of Berne is very singular in the eyes of Englishmen. It consists of a short blue petticoat tied high up their waists and just reaching down to their knees. Their stockings are in general red. Their shift (for they wear not neck handkerchiefs) comes under their chin and buttons down their neck. Instead of stays they have a red cloth stomacher which comes up to the breast and is fasten'd round their waist with brass hooks and eyes. Their hair is combed back over their forehead and meets behind in two black ribbons, one of which is platted in to each plat, generally train on the ground. On the top of their heads they wear a plain cap of black velvet with broad lace of the same color. When they marry they no longer wear these long flowing plats of hair, but either cut them off or, what is more common, wear them in a kind of tress round the crown of their head, where they fasten them with a silver clasp. The men wear an odd sort of large puckered breeches, or rather trousers, which reach down to their feet, a short thick waistcoat, and frequently a small cloth hat, as do sometimes the women, when they go out.

END OF QUOTE

All I can say to that is "My! how times have changed!" You know what would be really fun to do - have ladies from many different lands get together and talk about their lives to discover how each of us really live and our beliefs, etc. Well, I can still dream.

Welcome to "Becoming Jane" Fansite!

This site is co-managed by Icha and Rachel with materials from many resources, particularly supplied by Linda, our Associate Librarian, and our co-admin Mariana.

If you have any articles or information about Jane Austen, Tom Lefroy, or Becoming Jane (or even just to say hello), please email Icha and Rachel. As long as the content rhymes with our purpose to promote the movie and fandom, we will post it here happily. Also, please sign the Radovici Petition to reprint Radovici's book on Jane and Tom.

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About Jane Austen

Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire.In 1789 she wrote her first novel, Love and Freindship (intentional mis-spell), amongst other very amusing juvenilia. In Dec 1795/Jan 1796, she met Thomas Langlois Lefroy, an Irishman who would often be considered an important part of her life. In 1811, Austen's first novel Sense and Sensibility was published anonymously ('By a Lady'). Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813 and received instant popularity. Despite her romantic novels, the writer herself never married. In early 1816, Austen suffered an illness (either Addison's or Hodgkin's Disease), and on 18 July 1817, she died at the age of forty-one in the arms of her sister, Cassandra, and was buried in Winchester Cathedral.

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Anne Hathaway’s skilful portrayal of Jane Austen in Becoming Jane shows that art can have as much power to bring us closer to the truth as facts themselves can.

Jon Spence, 4 December 2006, Becoming Jane Austen

I could certainly see why Jane would have been attracted to Tom Lefroy if he was anything like this portrayal by James McAvoy!

Sue Hughes, March 2007, Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine

McAvoy knew his portrait of Tom could only come alive with the right Jane, and he found Anne Hathaway almost supernaturally suited for the part. “I don’t think we could have chosen anyone better to play Jane Austen," he says.

Synopsis of 'Becoming Jane'

Jane Austen’s greatest love story was her own

It was at the end of 1795 when the young Jane Austen met the dashing Irish rogue Thomas Langlois Lefroy. Jane would not realise that from prejudice and innuendos between her and Tom, a fresh bud of passion would grow into love that would last for years to come, literally changing her way of looking into life and giving her new insights into her already blooming creative writing. Yet, Tom Lefroy was not a man of wealth, and thus his family needed him to find a more suitable partner than the last daughter of the Austens. Will reality defeat love, or will love triumph in Jane Austen’s life?

James McAvoy as Tom Lefroy, Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine March 2007

Source: the U.S. Official Site

‘I’m yours, Jane, heart and soul!’

~ Tom Lefroy to Jane Austen, ‘Becoming Jane’

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without affection – JA, 18 November 1814

Source: BBC UK

Nothing can be compared to the misery of being bound without Love, bound to one, & preferring another – JA, 30 November 1814

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved...

‘Persuasion’, chapter 8, Jane Austen

If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more ...

Mr. Knightley to Emma in 'Emma', Jane Austen

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

To be so bent on marriage, to pursue a man merely for the sake of situation – is a sort of thing that shocks me.

Emma Watson, the Watsons, Jane Austen

What value would there be in life if we are not together?

~ Tom Lefroy to Jane Austen, 'Becoming Jane'

Source: Tiscali website

'Irony is the bringing together of contradictory truths to make out of the contradiction a new truth with a laugh or a smile.'

~ Jane Austen, 'Becoming Jane'

Disclaimer

Becoming Jane Fansite is a non-profit site for Becoming Janefans, created to accommodate articles, news, pictures, reviews, fan fictions, comments, etc with regards to the beautifully exclaimed Miramax movie Becoming Jane and anything related to Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy. The site is NOT an official site of 'Becoming Jane' and hence not affiliated with the movie. Yet, we hope that the site helps to immortalise your love and passions to Jane Austen, Tom Lefroy, Becoming Jane, Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julian Jarrold and all crews and casts of the enchanting movie. The administrators reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments/messages.

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The film Becoming Jane has given us an image of Jane Austen that liberates our imagination. I envy readers of my book who come to it with Anne Hathaway’s image of Jane in their mind’s eye. You will not have to struggle against the image Cassandra created to see the Jane Austen who was young and pretty, lively and in love. Anne Hathaway’s skilful portrayal of Jane Austen in Becoming Jane shows that art can have as much power to bring us closer to the truth as facts themselves can.